Summary : Embark on an expedition in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, where you will discover Tongass National Forest, Misty Fjords National Park, and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites—Glacier Bay National Park and Olympic National Park. Experience Tlingit culture in Ketchikan and Haines, watch for whales and wildlife in Frederick Sound, and wilderness kayak, stand-up paddleboard, skiff, and hike to your heart's content. Enrich your experience with educational presentations onboard, learn more about Tlingit culture in Ketchikan and Haines, as well as Gold Rush history.

PRICING

Ah, the Emerald City! Check-in at the hospitality center and later, board your ship and settle in. Depending on your vessel, depart from downtown Seattle, cruising along the along the city’s picturesque waterfront. Or from Fisherman’s Terminal and transit historic Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, where it’s a 20 foot drop into the Salish Sea. Adieu, Seattle.

Wake up in Hood Canal, one of the quietest reaches of Puget Sound. About 65 miles long, this fjord separates the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. Your expedition team has big plans for the day. Daypacks packed, boots on your feet. Hit the trail for a hike into the Olympic Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant old-growth trees, ferns, wild rhododendron—the flora is dense and diverse. Tonight holds a special treat. It’s a tasting of local oysters and clams. Paired with a locally-brewed beer—delicious!

Each island in the San Juan archipelago has unique character. Orcas and harbor seals haven’t picked favorites. You could spot them in any passage. Give your arms a stretch. Kayak or paddle board along a tucked away cove. Sea stars dot rocky outcroppings orange and purple. Curious harbor seals watch your moves. Get in more mileage on a skiff ride to further inlets. There will be time to hike too. A high point gives views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. Look low and nose around pools for creatures left behind by the outgoing tide.

Mountains rise higher. Fjords get deeper. It’s a day of intricate waterways and cruising for critters. The Strait of Georgia narrows into Seymour Narrows. Civilization slips away as you enter Johnstone Strait, where you may spot a pod of orcas. Surf-happy dolphins and porpoise like to catch a ride on the bow wave. Your captain and crew are on the lookout and give the call of a sighting. Islands of green. The Coast Range. Small communities dotting the beaches and fjords. Aiming to entertain and educate over the next days, your expedition team is at the ready. Natural history, Native influences, and their favorite trivia games, too.

Take your cup of joe to the bow. The world wakes up with you. Bald eagles watch the ship along its course from tree tops. Islands to the west, inlet-etched mainland etched to the east. Fitz Hugh Sound was first explored by Europeans in the 1720s. Today, it’s favored by sail boats. Your captain and mates navigate the twisting passage. Harbor seals spend their days on rocky islets. Breathe in the fresh air and take in the views. In the lounge, your bartender mixes up the daily special. Take the challenge and play a few friendly hands of cards with your shipmates.

Start the morning with guided stretches on the sun deck. Red roofs of Boat Bluff Lighthouse greet you as you pass into Tolmie Channel. The Great Bear Rainforest, known for the white “spirit” bear, stretches all around you. Princess Royal Island marks the southern border of the bear's territory. Spunky sea otters off the starboard. And a waterfall and old abandoned cannery come into view. That’s Butedale. Once a fishing hub, now a ghost town. Pass Dixon Entrance and postcard-perfect Dundas Island Lighthouse. Leave behind British Columbia waters and continue on—to Alaska.

Take a town day in Alaska’s southernmost city, the “salmon capital of the world.” Ketchikan's claim-to-fame--the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles. Connect with the Tlingit Culture. Tribal leader and local legend Joe Williams, known as Ka Xesh X’e in his native language, guides you on a walking tour. With a rich oral tradition, the Tlingit passed stories from generation to generation—and Joe’s storytelling is captivating!

It does get misty here. In fact, down right mystical. Calm settles over these parts and all you can hear is nature. Deep glacial fjords filled with seawater. Wetlands, estuaries, dense forests, and sweeping granite cliffs. Misty Fjords is the largest Wilderness Area in the Tongass National Forest. Behm Canal separates the western edge of the monument from the mainland. It’s a haven for wildlife—grizzly and black bears, salmon, whales, mountain goats, and deer. Paddle through a bay, silty from the outwash of a mountain river. On shore, your guide points out intertidal curios along the beach. The gaze of watchful eagles keeps you on point.

Between Cleveland Peninsula and Etolin Island sits Ernest Sound—first charted in 1793. In some of its least-explored reaches, drop anchor. Your expedition team has a full list of activities in queue. Boots, paddles, skiff? Pull on your rubber boots. They were made for the deep forest you’re hiking into. Paddle around tiny islets that dot the edges of Deer Island. Or scoot further away with the speed of a skiff to serene pockets carved into the rugged coastline. This evening, relax on deck to the call of the wild.

Sailing into Petersburg, the views of Devil’s Thumb and snow-topped peaks are motivation enough to put one foot in front of the other. Hard-charge up Petersburg Mountain or choose a mellower hike along Petersburg Creek. Take time to stroll through town. Or visit the museum for a dose of Tlingit and Norwegian history before lunch back on board. Go slow in Frederick Sound. It’s a favored summer home for humpback whales. Let the search begin. Take a jaunt by kayak or paddleboard before calling it a day for happy hour.

North into glacially-carved Chatham Strait. Captain picks the anchorage. Your top-notch expedition team plans the fun. And rain or shine, anything is possible. Paddling. Skiffing. Beachcombing. Bears like it too—Chichagof Island has one of the highest brown bear populations in the world.

There’s a cool factor, and it’s not just coming off the face of the glaciers! This 3.3 million-acre park was covered by ice as recently as 1795. Since then, the park’s receding glacier activity has made it a lot easier to access those inner reaches. Pick up a park ranger at Bartlett Cove in the early hours. Glacial history, retreats, advances, moraines. They come with expert insight, so bring on the questions. Pigeon guillemots, puffins, and cormorants colonize and nest at South Marble Island. One good whiff and a few loud barks give away one of its mammalian residents. It’s a full day in the bay exploring Muir’s legacy—all the way to Grand Pacific and Margerie Glaciers. Celebrate with a toast to Ma’ Nature’s handiwork.

Bull whip kelp threads through nearby channels like a jungle mangrove. And you know better, but orange and purple starfish and jellyfish make it hard to believe you’re not in the tropics. Follow the currents out to where the sea lions flock to remote rock formations. Your captain is on the bridge, the expedition team on deck, and all eyes are on the water and the shore. Everyone is on-watch for the telltale blow of humpbacks. Dall’s porpoise feast in the nutrient-rich water too. And bears lumber about for an afternoon nosh. Try getting a little closer to the shoreline by skiff, kayak, or on foot. Sometimes the smallest things are the biggest wonders. Take in the evening solitude from the bow, or the hot tub. Or both—why choose just one?

Haines is adventure-central—hiking, biking, and rafting. The trails are the cream of the crop, but all options lead to views of rivers, inlets, and snowcapped mountains. Haines has been occupied for thousands of years. The Chilkat Tlingit lived and traded here. European explorers arrived in the late 1880s. Of course, there’s the Gold Rush. Turn the pages of history with a presentation on the past. And there’s free time to explore on your own. Tonight, join your captain for the Farewell Dinner. As a special treat, your expedition team shares a slideshow of your journey.

Disembark after breakfast. Transfer to the Juneau airport or begin your overnight stay or extended land tour.

Notes

Due to the nature of the exploration, the itinerary is a guideline and may change in order to maximize wildlife and natural encounters. Variations in itinerary and the order of days may occur.

Reverse Itinerary(Juneau to Seattle): 9/16/2018, 9/15/2019

Alaska Insider Departure: 5/13/2018Spend a bit of quality time with experts who have firsthand, boots-on-the-ground experience—either connected with Alaska, the wilderness, or shine in another special area. Joining you (for part or all of your adventure), they share their insights and stories.

Adopt-an-Orca Departure: 5/13/2018Sail on 5/13/2018 and the shipping company will adopt an orca whale on your behalf (one adoption per cabin). Please inquire.

Safari Endeavour

Overview : Aboard this spacious expedition vessel, three decks offer ample outside vantage points for taking in daytime sights and the sparkling night sky with new friends. Interior spaces including the intimate lounge, cask wine bar, and cozy library provide comfortable and relaxing spaces to sit back with a book and glass of wine, gather for presentations, or to share experiences from the day. The fully-stocked, marble-topped bar in the lounge is a magnet for activity and mingling.

Ready for adventure at a moment’s notice, the Safari Endeavour is fully loaded with adventure equipment: kayaks; paddle boards; inflatable skiffs; hiking poles; yoga mats; and snorkel gear and wetsuits; plus, a hydrophone for listening to below-surface sounds and a bow-mounted underwater camera. For those moments when attention turns to relaxation, the vessel comes equipped with two hot tubs, fitness equipment, yoga mats, and a massage suite.

Ruth M.

San Jose, CA Sep 2016

Alaska's Famed Passages of Discovery

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Trip planning by ET was great and everything went smoothly. We had almost daily walks on shore or in skiffs to learn about the flora, fauna, weather, and geography of the area. Stunning landscapes. Beautiful bald eagles. Paint and wine night was especially fun and unexpected as was the engine room tour. Getting up close and personal with the land and wildlife was the most memorable!

Dick and Becky B.

Chicago, IL Aug 2016

Alaska's Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Since our ship was small enough to travel places where big ships can't go, we were often the only ship in sight. It felt like we were the only people in this wilderness, kayaking around islands, sailing a skiff inside a little bay filled with fishing bald eagles and a grizzly, looking for harbor seals on the ice and mountain goats on the cliffs. For two days, we seemed to be in the center of a congregation of more than a hundred humpbacks. They were busy feeding, sometimes very, very close to us as we stood on the deck of the ship. But what I will remember most is not necessarily the breaching, lunging and bubble netting, but the heavy but calm sound of their breathing all around me. I will take that sound with me forever.

It was amazing how every single one of the staff was eager to go out of their way to respond to our every want or need. Each one seemed to be extremely happy, and that contentment was reflected in their care for all of us. All of them, especially the expedition staff, knew an amazing amount about Alaska geology, plants and animals, and on this trip we were lucky enough to have a naturalist professor on board, who gave nightly presentations, went along on the skiff trips, and was always there to answer questions.

Herb K.

Arlington, MA Jun 2016

Alaska's Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Our trip was enjoyable. The ship Endeavour met our expectations and we found many interesting and friendly people who were our shipmates on this cruise. The guides of the Endeavour crew were very knowledgeable and friendly and concerned for our safety and nature experiences. The ship's food was quite good and appropriate portions were served by the attentive wait staff.

Gretchen C.

Portland, OR Mar 2016

Baja – Mexico's Sea of Cortez

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

The level of communication from ExpeditionTrips was just right. Our questions were answered quickly and efficiently!
Our trip was wonderful. We really enjoyed the wildlife and opportunities to snorkel. The hiking was beautiful as well! The food and beverage service on the ship was fantastic!

Donna B.

Seattle, WA Jul 2015

Alaska's Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

I had super high expectations, and it exceeded them all. Unbelievable. Just fabulous. It was so breathtakingly beautiful. Kayaking past icebergs was magical. It was great to kayak with my parents who, at 75, had never kayaked. They loved it. I found my new happy place.

Susan R.

Frisco, TX Jun 2015

Alaska's Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Outstanding! Kayaking beside a glacier was the most memorable part of the expedition.

Carolyn & Richard B.

Chicago, IL Sep 2014

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

The Alaska trip was truly wonderful. We both were VERY happy. We saw tons of birds, including a family of ptarmigan that we watched for a long time as they walked through the brush making ptarmigan noises. Also lots of other critters, from big (grizzlies, moose) to small (starfish, sea anemones). We even saw a wolverine! We were bushwhacking in the “forest primeval,” and getting up close and personal with glaciers.

We were very impressed with the staff – each one of them, from the ship engineer to the expedition staff, to the bar tender, to the yoga and massage specialists, to the multi-jobbed people who helped at every turn. Everyone was highly competent and seemed sincerely happy to be there. It was obvious, as well, that the staff had been highly trained in safety protocols.

Because of the competence and enthusiasm of the "expedition" staff and both the Safari Endeavor pilots and the small-boat pilots, we were able to see and learn about an amazing variety of animals. Without ever following or stalking any animal, the ship crew was able to sail close by and then become silent and patient while critters did their thing. For example, when a wolverine appeared on the opposite shore, we watched it for close to a half hour. When our small boat wondered up a little river and a brown bear decided to walk along the shore and back, we stopped amid the reeds and watched in silence for maybe 40 minutes (even though that made us late getting back). Binoculars and field guides are close at hand around the windows surrounding the lodge for such encounters, and the staff joined in with us as we looked in awe at the killer whales playing, or whatever it might be. In fact, one of the naturalist staff was always stationed (in daylight hours) as a lookout so that we wouldn't miss anything.

This was our first cruise ever, and we needed some hand-holding. Lorraine and Marybeth were extremely prompt, patient and thorough answering all of our questions, as well as helping us with things that we had not thought to ask about. For example, we were concerned about our tight connection flying between Juneau to Seattle to Chicago, but everything turned out just fine. Also - Dick and I were concerned about our physical abilities and whether we would be able to enjoy such and "active" adventure. Lorraine and Marybeth worked with us to find the perfect fit. This particular trip challenged us just enough, and gave us wonderful opportunities to recoup (yoga, massage, healthy food) as we stretched our horizons.

The cruise exceeded our expectations. I expected a mini-cruise ship, but what we had was very different. The ship was a base for many on shore and on water activities. In addition the ship's size allowed for changes in itinerary and allowed us to stop if an interesting animal was spotted.

The staff was great. We got to know most of them. My wife said she felt like she was receiving royal treatment. The crew members who led us on off boat activities were knowledgeable naturalists. In addition a ranger from Glacier Bay N.P. came onboard for two days and was available for all our questions.

ExpeditionTrips arranged our cruise on the Safari Endeavour. Your service and the entire cruise were a great experience. Sailing on a small ship, you really felt that you had experienced southeast Alaska. I especially liked that we were not just sitting and watching the scenery go by, but we actually got to be part of it in kayaks and skiffs and on hikes.

Antje F.

San Diego, CA Jul 2014

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Fantastic again! The incredible beauty of SE Alaska, plus a wonderful,responsive, genuinely friendly crew made me sign up my whole family for next year.

Jan C.

Camp Verde, TX Aug 2013

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

We were very well taken care of from the moment we were met at the hotel in Juneau until we were dropped at the airport for our return. The service was great and the naturalist guides were superb -- we really enjoyed them. The most memorable moments were coming across a pod of whales at sunset, watching Dawes glacier calve twice right in front of us, and the great people we met.

Carl S. and Krisin C.

Calistoga, CA May 2013

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

We want to express our heart-felt appreciation to the Endeavour crew and staff for making our recent cruise the vacation of a lifetime. There were plenty of highlights: the wildlife viewing, the stunning scenery, the outings ashore and kayaking – the great weather, even! But what really made it truly special were the enthusiasm, genuine warmth, and caring attitude of the entire crew.

Barbara G.

Lexington, KY Mar 2013

Baja Cruise

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

It was truly a once in a lifetime experience! Everyone should take this cruise! We saw a blue whale mother and baby. The baby swam right under the skiff!!! If you are thinking of this cruise, I have two words for you: DO IT!

Raoul E.

Scottsdale, AZ Jan 2013

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

Joy did a very good job understanding our preferences and concerns. She had worked with us on our Antarctica cruise. The ship, itinerary, and cabin we ended up choosing was exactly the right one - she did a great job helping to make sure our expectations were properly set.

Beth K.

Warrington, PA Aug 2012

Alaska Inside Passage

Expedition Ship
Safari Endeavour

I wanted to see Alaska and the combination of "luxury" and "adventure" sounded perfect. The staff, scenery and service were outstanding. They crew were all wonderful...the massage therapists, the bartender, the guides, the captain, everyone was not only willing, but anxious to be helpful.

Payment Policy

Deposit:Departures 14 nights or less: $750 per person

Final Payment: Due 60 days prior to departure

Payment Methods:Credit cards are accepted for both deposit and final payments (VISA, MC, AMEX, Discover).

Cancellation Policy

All requests for cancellation must be received in writing. Cancellation penalties are based on the number of days prior to departure that the cancellation was received and are subject to change without notice. We strongly suggest you obtain trip cancellation insurance. Failure to secure a valid passport, visa, or air arrangements does not waive this policy.